Over 10,000 personnel and 3 IAF helicopters (1 ALH and 2 Mi 17) fitted with fitted with aerial firefighting ‘bucket’ have been deployed to douse the raging Uttarakhand forest. This includes 6,000 personnel of the NDRF, SDRF, state police, forest staff and volunteers.

Uttarakhand forest fire: MI-17 helicopter ready to take off, will drop water in affected area to douse flames. pic.twitter.com/sE4xQcBOt4

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 1, 2016

An assessment team, including Special Director Centre for Fire Explosives K C Wadha and director of Delhi Fire Services G C Misra have reached the state to suggest measures within a week to the Home Ministry. The Centre has already assured the Uttarakhand government of all assistance. The choppers have rained water on forest fires today across Nainital and Pauri districts. According to satellite data, 75% of the affected areas have seen the fire being doused. The fire across forests has killed 7 people, and destroyed 2,269 hectares of forested land, and threatens to spread to sparsely populated remote hill areas.